ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: file · lie · band · wind · staff · toast · press · chip

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. file — a tool
  3. staff — employees
  4. press — a publisher
  5. toast — bread
  6. file — a document
  7. wind — moving air
  8. wind — moving air
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. band — a music group
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. press — newspapers
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. staff — employees
  18. file — a line of people
  19. chip — for betting
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. band — a ring
  22. press — to push
  23. lie — to recline
  24. chip — to eat

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com